Editorial: "Governor - Find a Way"

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

Governor Bentley, we respectfully ask that you find a way to approve Medicaid Expansion in Alabama under the Affordable Healthcare Act. We ask that you reconsider your current position on behalf of the over 300,000 estimated Alabamians – most of whom currently have no medical coverage – who would become eligible for Medicaid and health benefits stemming from coverage if Medicaid were expanded in the State of Alabama.

It should be noted that the majority of these 300,000 Alabamians are the "working poor" holding down full time jobs trying to make ends meet. As it stands now, these folks make too much to receive Medicaid coverage, but not enough to afford coverage of their own. Let's not turn our back on these folks based on principle or politics. Our state has spent hundreds of millions on economic development, but is unwilling to receive up to $14 billion in expanded Medicaid coverage on $1 billion dollars investment over the next 10 years? How does that make any sense?

Alabama is among nine Southern states, all led by Republican Governors, that are not implementing Medicaid expansion. Governor, let's knock that number down to eight. Your fellow conservative governor's in Arizona, Florida and New Jersey are now supporting this expansion. We ask that you have the courage to do the same.